Stephen J. Verish, Jr., 61, of Holland Township, NJ passed away on Tuesday, January 5, 2010 at Hunterdon Medical Center, Raritan Township, NJ.

Born January 27, 1948 in Elizabeth, NJ, he was a son of the late Stephen Sr. and Alvera DiGeorgio Verish.

Steve lived in Kingwood Township and Milford before moving to Holland Township in 1983. He served in the United States Army from 1968-1973. Steve was the Chief of Police for Holland Township where he served as a police officer for 30 years. Prior to that he worked as a criminal investigator for the Princeton University Police Department. Steve was a life member of Milford Volunteer Fire Company and the Milford-Holland Rescue Squad. He was an Exempt member of the NJ State Firemans Assoc., a member of the Hunterdon County PBA Local 188, the Hunterdon County Police Chiefs Assoc., and the Hunterdon County Fatal Accident Crash Team. Steve was of the Catholic faith. He was a local baseball coach and umpire for many years. He enjoyed snowmobiling and was an avid NASCAR fan. He was a loving companion, father and grandfather and will be dearly missed by his family and many friends.

Steve is survived by his longtime companion Deborah Whitman, daughter Sandra L. Osmun and her husband Willie, son Stephen J. Verish III and his wife Michelle and their mother Rosemarie Nowrick, all of Holland Township, sister Roxann Smith of Revere, PA, 2 grandchildren Sarah and William, and many nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, January 9, 2010 at 11:00 am at the Catholic Church of the Annunciation, 80 Main Street, Bloomsbury, NJ. Interment will follow at Rosemont Cemetery in Delaware Township, NJ. Visitation will be Friday, January 8, 2010 from 4-8 pm at Johnson-Walton Funeral Home, 24 Church Road, Holland Township, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Milford Fire Co, PO Box 25, Milford, NJ 08848 or Milford-Holland Rescue Squad, PO Box 251, Milford, NJ 08848.